Final answer:
The relationship between water vapor and temperature is described by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, with water's vapor pressure increasing with temperature in a non-linear fashion. It is essential to use the Kelvin temperature scale to accurately describe this relationship since volume and pressure of a gas are related to its absolute temperature. As the temperature rises, the air can contain more water vapor.
Step-by-step explanation:
Relationship Between Water Vapor and Temperature
The relationship between water vapor in grams per kilogram and temperature is a fundamental aspect of the study of gases and their behaviors. This relationship is often explained using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, which describes the quantitative relation between a substance's vapor pressure and temperature. Specifically, for water vapor, the heat of vaporization is about 2,250 J per gram, meaning that for each gram of water vaporized, 2,250 J of energy is required. The increase in vapor pressure with temperature is not linear; for instance, it increases by 46.73 kPa from 0°C to 80°C, and by 53.99 kPa from 80°C to 100°C.
It is important to note that the temperature must be measured in kelvins for the purpose of most gas-related equations because the volume of a gas is directly related to its absolute temperature in kelvins. Moreover, the relationship between temperature and pressure is observed to be linear when both are in kelvins, and they are directly proportional to each other if the volume and moles of gas are held constant.
In practice, you can observe this relationship by examining the behavior of water vapor as the temperature changes. As the temperature increases, so does the capacity of air to hold water vapor. This is widely observed in weather patterns, where warmer air tends to have higher humidity levels.